Taxpayers Aren’t Santa

Ken O'Brien

Note: At last week’s town council meeting the town manager noted that the tax rate was determined by the town budget which had already been settled upon last May. In what is becoming an annual ritual I thought it appropriate to reprint a post that The O’Zone first published on December 6^th of 2011. If so inclined, you may wish to examine the comments that were made by certain readers at the time this article was first published or last year when it was repeated. 

Taxpayers Aren’t Santa

Ken O'Brien

Note: At last week’s town council meeting the town manager noted that December 3rd’s meeting would address the annual setting of the tax rate. He reminded us that the rate was determined by the town budget which had already been settled upon last spring. In light of this I thought it appropriate to reprint a post that The O’Zone first published on December 6^th of last year. If so inclined, you may wish to examine the comments that were made by certain readers at the time.

Breaking News: McDonald Offered Fire Chief Position In Monson

Ken O’Brien

Reliable sources have informed The O’Zone that town councilor Laurent “Butch” McDonald has been offered the position of Fire Chief in the town of Monson.

The same sources report that as a condition of employment Mr. McDonald would be required to move to Monson before Christmas.

If these reports are accurate, it would create an opening on the Southbridge town council.

Where’s The Outrage Southbridge?

Ken O’Brien

Parody post from Photo-'Toons 1.25

Last Friday the Southbridge Evening News carried an article titled, “Council planning to fix radio issues at school”.

It opened with the following three paragraphs:

“Almost as soon as the new Torrey Road school opened last month, staff discovered the building gets no cell phone service.

It didn’t take much longer to find that police radios didn’t work there either.

According to Chief Daniel Charette, that was actually known earlier. Back in November 2011, he started talking with the contractors about fixing the issue, but the individual involved left the company and it fell by the wayside.” 

Southbridge Town Council Agenda - June 4, 2012

TOWN OF SOUTHBRIDGE

SOUTHBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS 01550-2638

TOWN COUNCIL MEETING

MACKINNON COUNCIL CHAMBERS

June 4, 2012 – 7:00 PM

********************

AGENDA

1. Pledge of Allegiance

2. Roll Call

3. Consider and accept the Council Minutes of Monday, May 21, 2012 Meeting

4. Consider and accept the Public Hearing Minutes of Monday, May 21, 2012

Southbridge Town Council Agenda - May 21, 2012

TOWN OF SOUTHBRIDGE

TOWN COUNCIL MEETING MACKINNON COUNCIL CHAMBERS MAY 21, 2012 — immediately following the Public Hearing

AGENDA

1.      Pledge of Allegiance

2.      Roll Call

3.      Consider and accept the Council Minutes of Monday, May 7, 2012 Meeting.

4.      Subcommittee Reports:

(a) General Government

     1) Joint GG & PPP Meeting Minutes 5/9/12

(b) D.P.W.

(c) Education and Human Services

(d) Planning and Development

(e) Protection of Persons and Property

Tuesday’s Southbridge EHS Subcommittee Agenda – It’s a Doozy

Ken O’Brien

Rarely does the general public get a preview of what goes on in town council subcommittees.

While those in power complain that nobody shows up at these meetings, one has to ask “Why”.

Perhaps it has to do with the fact that, unless you are among the privileged few that are advised in advance to be there, you don’t know when they are happening or what will be discussed. 

Damage Control

Ken O'Brien

On Thursday the Southbridge Town Hall house organ (the Southbridge Evening News) will carry an article titled, “Southbridge refunds 118 trash fines”.

In the article it is reported:

If you got ticketed for a first-time trash violation, you might have already received good news in the mail.
According to Health Director James Morin, 118 such residents will get refunds of their fines and/or letters this week informing them they don’t have to pay if they haven’t yet had hearings. That does not apply to 30 or so multiple-ticket recipients, who are still on the hook for the second or later fines.

Breaking News: Lazo, Martinek File Papers For Town Council

Ken O'Brien

Update: May 10, 1 pm - Both Steve Lazo and Dennis Martinek have had a sufficient number of signatures validated to appear on the June election ballot.

Former town councilor and town council chair Steve Lazo and Southbridge resident Dennis Martinek today filed papers before the deadline to be on the ballot as candidates for Southbridge town councilors in the June election.

We must await notification that a sufficient number of their signatures have been validated for them to qualify.

If that bar is met then we can say, in typical Southbridge fashion, the race is on!

UPDATE: Incumbent councilor David Livengood fails to return papers.

Bravo Butch!

Ken O'Brien

Monday's Southbridge Town Council meeting was a combination of laughable incompetence, amusing non-sequiturs and sinister despotism.

The incompetence was the repeated emergence of failures to proof read official town documents rife with typographical errors.

The agenda contained at least three. 

Southbridge Meeting Videos On YouTube

Ken O’Brien

Amelia Peloquin has now begun making town council and school committee meetings available on YouTube.

Thanks to her for expanding her prior efforts and increasing the convenience of access to these public records.

The most recent additions can be accessed at:

Southbridge Town Council Meeting - April 23, 2012

Southbridge School Committee Meeting - April 24, 2012

The Local Lamestream Media II

Ken O’Brien

Back in February I illustrated how the local paper was relegating announcements by local candidates to second class status.

Well, today they managed to top themselves.

Several days ago The O’Zone carried the announcement of Amelia Peloquin’s candidacy for the Southbridge town council. 

Southbridge Town Council Agenda April 23, 2012

TOWN OF SOUTHBRIDGE
SOUTHBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS 01550-2638
TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
MACKINNON COUNCIL CHAMBERS
APRIL 23, 2012 – 7:00 PM
********************
1. Pledge of Allegiance

2. Roll Call

3. Consider and accept the Council Minutes of Monday, April 9, 2012 Meeting

Where’s The Beef?

Ken O’Brien

We’re a little more than two months away from the annual Southbridge town election.

Thus far six people have taken out papers to run for town council; incumbents Denise Clemence, David Livengood and Lawrence Spinelli and newcomers Jean Heid, Shaun Moriarty and Amelia Peloquin.

While few people take an interest in elections until several weeks in advance, it is time to start to demand that candidates offer us more than the vague and pious platitudes that have dominated campaigns in the past. 

Peloquin Announces Southbridge Town Council Bid

“Our local government needs fresh perspectives and new voices”

SOUTHBRIDGE – Southbridge resident Amelia Peloquin is pleased to announce her candidacy for Councilor-at-Large in the June 26 Southbridge municipal election.

"I’m running for Town Council because I am passionate about Southbridge and our town’s future. Together, we can find affordable and thoughtful solutions for the challenges facing our community. I believe our local government needs fresh perspectives and new voices in order to find those solutions. 

A New Broom Sweeps Half As Clean?

Ken O’Brien

In the last few weeks I’ve received a number of calls (obviously not as many as Councilor Regis got to

change her vote on the Board of Health Charter amendment on October 24, 2011).

As many will recall, there was a substantial controversy when the Southbridge Town Council voted to buy a new street sweeper.

As we are well aware it was a very mild winter.

As a consequence, the usual amount of sand put down during the season was drastically reduced.

As of now we have two street sweepers that are operational. 

Treating Some SouthbridgeTown Records As Trash

Ken O’Brien

Our municipal government overlords have no compunction about punishing the “pigs and barnyard animals” as our town council chair famously referred to some residents. You don’t use the right trash bags or the prescribed form of trash container? In a vampirical parody of Oprah, the message is “Here’s a $250 fine for you, and here’s a $250 fine for you, and for you and for you and….”

But they are apparently far more reticent about disciplining their own when it comes to fulfilling the basic requirements of government. 

Southbridge Town Council Agenda - April 9, 2012

TOWN OF SOUTHBRIDGE

SOUTHBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS 01550-2638

TOWN COUNCIL MEETING

MACKINNON COUNCIL CHAMBERS

APRIL 9, 2012 – 7:00 PM

********************

1. Pledge of Allegiance

2. Roll Call

3. Consider and accept the Council Minutes of Monday, March 26, 2012 Meeting

4. Subcommittee Reports:

     (a) General Government

     (b) D.P.W.

     (c) Education and Human Services

     (d) Planning and Development

     (e) Protection of Persons and Property

5. Chairwoman’s Announcements

6. Town Manager’s Announcements

7. Swearing In / Presentation

     a) Presentation – 25 years of service to Corinne Tiberri

     b) Presentation – Update Centros Las Americas, Juan Gomez

     c) Presentation – Tasse’s / Alcoma Trust Realty, Jeff Tasse

8. Citizens Forum

Breaking News: Peloquin Pulls Papers for Town Council

Local blogger and political activist Amelia Peloquin today pulled papers to run for Southbridge Town Council. She is also a member of the Democratic Town Committee

The Upcoming By-law Fiasco In Southbridge

Ken O’Brien

At the Town Council meeting of December 19, 2011, Council Chair Nikolla announced the membership  of the town’s By-law Review Committee.

This Committee is appointed in accordance with Section 12-5-3 of the Town Home Rule Charter which reads as follows:

In every year following the issuance of a report by a charter review committee, the chairperson of the town council shall appoint a by-law review committee.  The committee shall consist of five members, and shall report its recommendations to the town council within one year from the date of its appointment.